P h o t o b y K S N P C S t a f f
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Habitat:
Calcareous rocks and barrens, wooded cliff edges.
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Species Description:
Plant an erect short-lived perennial (or biennial) herb whose slender leafy stems radiate from the base, and are 3-5 dm tall, giving it a bushy appearance. Leaves densely hairy, grayish-green, simple and alternate on the stem. Flowers are bright yellow to yellow-orange, cross-shaped, each having 4 spatula-shaped petals about 5 mm long. Fruit is a nearly globe-shaped capsule, about 3 mm in diameter, with 1 or 2 seeds in each cell.
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Phenology:
Flowering Period: Early April to late May.
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Additional Information at NatureServe
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Diagnostic Characteristics:
Even though there are many members of the Mustard Family in the range of this species, no other plant shares this combination of characters: bright yellow flowers, grayish-green stems and foliage, globe-shaped fruits with a long style, perennial habit, and the habitat of limestone rocky cliffs.
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Management:
Timber removal may be beneficial and even needed to maintain the open character of the habitat for this species. Hand removal of trees in the vicinity of the population is necessary to avoid impacts from timber operations.
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Global Range:
Southwest Indiana, north central Kentucky and north central Tennessee. Also reported in Ohio.
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Known Kentucky Occurrences:
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